social psych chapter 9

aggression

as any behavior intended to harm another person who does not want to be harmed

four important features of aggression

• aggression is a behavior, not an emotion

• aggression is intentional

• the definition of aggression stipulates that the victim wants to avoid the harm

• aggression involves at least two people

displaced aggression

any behavior that intentionally harms a substitute target rather than the provocateur

direct aggression

the victim is physically present

indirect aggression

the victim is absent

reactive aggression

“hot” impulsive angry behavior that is motivated by a desire to harm someone

proactive aggression

is cold premeditated calculated behavior that is motivated by some other goal

bullying

refers to persistent aggression by a perpetrator against a victim for the purpose of establishing a power relationship over the victim (persistent nature)

cyberbullying

refers to the use of internet to bully others

violence

aggression that has its goal extreme harm

antisocial behavior

refers to behavior that damages interpersonal relationships or is culturally undesirable

instinct

an innate tendency to seek a particular goal, such as food, water, or sex

eros

Freud’s proposed drive for sensory and sexual gratification as the primary instinct

thanatos

Freud’s proposed belief that humans also have a destructive death instinct called thanatos

modeling

the idea that people observe and copy or imitate the behaviors of others

frustration-aggression hypothesis

proposal that

1. the occurrence of aggressive behavior always presupposes the existence of frustration

2. the existence of frustration always leads to some form of aggression

frustration

blocking or interfering with a goal

appetitive aggression

aggression that is motivated in part or whole by an intrinsic enjoyment of the aggressive act

desensitization

a psychological process that occurs when emotional reactions to a stimulus decrease following repeated exposure to it

hostile attribution bias

the tendency to perceive ambiguous actions by others as indicating aggressive intent

the hostile perception bias

the tendency to perceive social interactions in general as being aggressive

hostile expectation bias

the tendency to expect others to react to potential conflicts with aggression

fight or flight syndrome

a response to stress that involves aggressing against others or running away

tend and befriend syndrome

a response to stress that involves nurturing others and making friends

relational aggression (social aggression)

behavior that involves intentionally harming another person’s social relationships, feelings, of acceptance or inclusion within a group

domestic violence (family violence or intimate-partner violence)

violence that occurs within the home between people who have a close relationship with one another

weapons effect

increase in aggression that occurs as a result of the mere presence of a weapon

third person effect

the belief that the media have a much stronger effect on people that on oneself

density

the number of people in a given area

crowding

the subjective and unpleasant feeling that there are too many people in a given area

testosterone

the male sex hormone

serotonin

the feel good neurotransmitter low levels of which have been linked to aggression and violence in humans and other animals

running amok

refers to behavior of a young man who becomes uncontrollably aggressive after receiving a blow to his ego

culture of honor

a society that places high value on individual respect, strength, and virtutes and accepts and justifies violent action in response to threats to one’s honor

honor killing

killing another individual who has brought dishonor to the family

humiliation

the state of disgrace or loss of self respect

deindividuation

sense of anonymity and loss of individuality as in a large group making people especially likely to engage in antisocial behaviors such as theft

injective norms

specify what most others approve or disapprove of

descriptive norms

norms that specify what most people do